1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to files transfer between a remote server and a local server. Such a transfer is necessary when a user is temporarily connected to a local server different from a remote home server to which this user is usually connected.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is now very common that someone who travels needs to have access to a set of files, system files, data files or application files. So, this person can bring a portable computer with him, all the necessary files being stored in this computer. It is often not very convenient to carry such an equipment. Moreover, nowadays, the files of a computer user are often stored on a server, the home server. In this case, the user has to transfer all his files on the portable computer and he can forget some of these files. Thus, solutions have been developed to allow a user to access transparently to his own computer from another personal computer, generally by means of a local server.
A first method, TELNET, allows a user connected to a network with a local computer to access a remote computer such that the local computer is a terminal of the remote computer. The term TELNET refers to a remote connection on the INTERNET that is made with the TELNET protocol. When using electronic mail or FTP, a file transfer protocol, the local computer limits the interaction with the remote computer and the file management between both computers is not very practical. It is also possible to open an interactive session with TELNET. Accordingly, once the connection has been established, the local computer is transparent and the user works as if he were directly attached to the remote computer. During the session, both computers are connected, that means that access times could be long, especially when the remote computer is overburdened.
Another method is known as directory replication, a feature offered by servers equipped with MICROSOFT WINDOWS NT (registered trademark). Directory replication allows to set up and maintain identical directories on multiple stations such as servers or personal computers. Updates made to the files or directories on one server are periodically replicated to other stations in import directories. Replication is well adapted for read only files since import directories that receive copies of the files are overwritten each time replication occurs. Any modification made on a file in an import directory is lost at the next replication. Consequently, the user cannot be sure that the modifications he has made in an import directory will be saved; the saving procedure has to be done manually, by means of specific commands.